Beet & Chia Seed Smoothie

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Hi there,

This is a quick recipe that uses the entire beet – root, stems and leaves. Adding the other ingredients let the beet flavor shine through without it being too overwhelming.

This recipe is adapted from The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook. While I don’t follow an ayurvedic diet, I do like the simple, seasonal recipes it inspires.

Beet & Chia Seed Smoothie
makes 2 servings

Recipe notes: the baby beets I used were 1 inch to 1-1/2 inches in diameter. You can substitute 1 medium beet or 1/2 of a large beet.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup warm water + 1 cup cold water
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 2 baby beets
  • 1 medium apple, cored
  • 1″ piece of fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • A few ice cubes

Directions:

  • Add the warm water and chia seeds to a blender and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
  • While the chia seeds are soaking, remove the stems and leaves from the beet root and wash all parts. Peel the beet root.
  • Add all parts of the beet, the apple, ginger, maple syrup, vinegar, salt an 1 cup of cold water to the blender. Process on high until fully broken down, about 1-2 minutes. Taste, adjust seasoning as needed and add ice cubes. Process until just broken down and serve.

Lemon Balm Shrub

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Shrubs, which are acidic syrups typically flavored with fruit and/or herbs, date back to the 15th century. You can read all about the interesting history here but my main interest lies in the preservative nature of shrubs. These syrups were originally concocted in order to preserve delicate fruits and herbs before the time of refrigeration. Today, they offer the same qualities but are typically developed as a fun drink, both alcohol-free and as a cocktail mixture.

There are various ways to make a shrub at home. My recipe below is about as simple as it gets – dissolve sugar in vinegar and then steep herbs in the mixture. The process doesn’t get much harder, one just has to wait a bit longer for the final product. The Kitchn has a great run down here and Serious Eats adds another layer of complexity here by suggesting cold-processed shrubs are the way to go.

A simple online search will yield a shrub recipe for just about any ingredient. Don’t limit yourself to fruit and herbs – beets, fennel and spices all make for interesting recipes!

Lemon Balm Shrub
makes 3 drinks

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed lemon balm leaves
  • Sparkling water, to serve

Directions:

  • Combine sugar and vinegar in a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Heat mixture over medium-high heat until it reaches a simmer, or until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat, add the lemon balm, cover and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain to remove the lemon balm and cool to room temperature. Transfer to an air tight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • To make a drink: combine 1/4 cup shrub and 1 cup sparkling water in a tall glass. Stir to combine and enjoy.